Girard St Northeast, Brookland

This is a classic NE neighborhood, where you can still afford a house, even though you are very close to downtown. Lots of money coming in to Rhode Island Ave, as it has been admitted to the Great Streets initiative, so the city will be cleaning things up, bringing more interesting shopping, and changing the tone of the place. For now, however, it is quite forgotten due to the real estate plunge, and worth revisiting.